The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 57 GMC Napco Front Brakes????

I am redoing the brakes on my 1957 GMC Napco 4x4 half-ton. The front brakes are entirely different from the back. Does anyone know anything about this different style of brake shoe? I have found drums and wheel cylinders but am having a tough time with the shoes and hardware kits. Thanks for any help. Mark

Try the NAPCO ownder's club. They should be listed on the links page.

Thanks, I just tried e-mailing them we will see what they have to say. I will keep you guys posted. This is my first try at a napco. Some things are a little different.

I had my existing shoes rebuilt by a local brake & clutch shop. I couldn't the correct springs anywhere, so I took my old springs to Checker Auto parts and checked every box of replacement springs they had. I ended up buying two kits that had the springs I needed. Front brake parts on 57 NAPCOs seem to be a problem.

Well it has been a week. The Napco Club has not responded. I relined the shoes myself but I can not figure out what the 1/2 inch pin in the front shoe that goes all the way through to the drum does? These napco's are neat trucks but very hard to get info on.

57 NAPCO: I believe that the "pin" is an adjuster of some type, I don't remember exactly anymore. I could look it up. However, my setup had that hardware missing and I am running without it. It seems OK. Actually, if you knew where I could get those pins & associated hardware I would be appreciative. I haven't been able to find them anywhere.

I have half the hardware. the passenger side wheel cylinder froze up on the previous owner and it ground up most of the hardware on that side. But the drivers side was in great shape. When I relinded the shoes I removed all the hardware on both sides and covered up the hole with the new lining. All seems fine. I rebuilt all the wheel cylinders, master cylinder new shoes and drums. All seems fine. Brakes work great.

i know this is a very old thread but i am currently in a similar battle: trying to locate all necessary brake parts for a 57 napco half ton front axle. i guess a good first question is whether or not the front brakes were changed with the napco axle or are they the same as the standard 2wd pickup?
the local parts store showed me a pic of what their books said are the shoes, but they are no where near similar to mine. of course the wheel cylinders are odd with one side of the cylinder being a 1 inch bore and the other 1 3/8 inch bore.
my setup at least have the adjusting pins missing in the above posts, but wondering what and where you found your parts?
thanks for any help

I saw something about this recently on Facebook. Seems that some of the parts in the front brakes on the Napco trucks are actually Studebaker parts. I don't know if I can find it again, but I'll take a look and see if I can. I don't know if the same applies to the factory built 4wd trucks.

thanks for any help. i've taken some close-up pics but not sure how to put them on here. i've also found numbers on all the parts but so far they aren't helping. my shoes look as though they were relined previously (and not very well either). the shoes have part numbers fd-8302 and fd-8305 on them and the wheel cylinders are wagner fd-7256. i saw jim carter advertise dual bore wheel cylinders, so will have to look further into that - of course, i need to ensure the method for linking to the shoes is the same.
ah, i love old pickups! i really do

If they are like my 1957 Chevy NAPCO brakes, they are Studebaker brakes. If memory serves they are 1953 Champion front brakes. They are very difficult to find, I had to take my shoes to a local machine shop and had them re-do them. The other parts, springs, adjusters, etc., you can get on line from Studebaker parts sites. The following is a copy of text that may help. However, I finally ended up fabricating disc brakes for the front (see the NAPCO forum (see http://www.napco4x4.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=1321)


Studebaker Brake Parts for 55-57 NAPCO's

Unread postby dotnetweb » Apr 1, 2013 12:46 pm
Hi All,

This pertains to those folks who have 55-57 NAPCO's with Studebaker brakes on the front. This brake setup includes one self adjusting shoe (leading shoe) and one manual adjusting shoe (trailing). The self adjusting shoe should have a self adjusting device which moves the shoe closer to the drum as it wears. There are many parts to the self adjusting device. My truck had no device at all so I had to start from scratch.

I found the parts for the self adjusting device and installation instructions at https://www.studebakerparts.com
installation tutorial here: https://www.studebakerparts.com/studeba ... lfadj.html
For the shoes you have to send them your old ones, if you don't have the old ones to exchange you might be up for a wild goose chase.

Shoes:
BRK146-BRK2 BRAKE SHOES or BRK145-BRK1 BRAKE SHOES (make sure to measure yours)

Here are all the parts you need for the self adjusting device (both sides):
1) BRK048 521396 1947-1953 SELF ADJUSTER TIPS (2)
2) 521393-4 SELF ADJUSTING WEDGE LEVER (1) Comes with left and right
3) 521391 SELF ADJUSTING WEDGE, RIGHT (1)
4) 521392 SELF ADJUSTING WEDGE, LEFT (1)
5) 527253 ADJUSTER TIP SPRING WEDGE (2)
6) 521398 BRAKE GUIDE (2)
7) 524028 BRAKE SPRING, RIGHT (1)
8. 524029 BRAKE SPRING, LEFT (1)

It's important that you get the correct washers to go behind the shoes on the cam hold down poles and the ones that go in front, also the C hold down clip. If you don't have the correct ones, and the correct thickness your cam may not line up to hit the self adjusting wedge. Then your minor brake adjustment won't work.

With no shoe first put on
1) 526530 - Flat Washer... then
2) 521413 - Super Thin Spring Washer (continually pushes shoe outward for correct placement)
3) Put on your shoe now
4) Add another 526530
5) Finally put on the C Clip to hold it all together 642522

Drums
Have not been able to find original drums with larger diameter hole for 4x4. I bought 2WD ones and bored them out to the required diameter, however mine still did not fit even with the shoes adjusted all the way in. It will probably work for you!!

Donsz, that for all the information - that is pretty wild that they used studebaker brakes - wonder what made them do that? not sure if there is any difference in early or late 57? but your disc brake idea sounds very appealing! i'll definitely have to look for that.
the description of the brakes sounds as though that is what i have, right down to the c-clip. i have many of the parts but looks like i'm missing a cable. i'll have to ck out the studebaker site.

just briefly looked at the studebaker parts site - amazing! thats what i have. my wheel cylinders look exactly like the 42 dictator though but shoes and adjusters are like the champion. the drums didnt look similar though. now on to the napco site.

Thought I would update this thread. By no negative intent I think there is some incorrect information that will create incorrect Wear and misalignment of wedge. There is not supposed to be any washers behind the shoe. Putting any washers behind the shoe will make the shoe sit too forward and it will misaligned to the wedge and create chafing of it.They're supposed to be three washers after you put the shoe on, before you put the C clip on. One flat washer, then one spring washer, then one flat washer and finally put on tHE clip. I have proved this by measuring and also have a NAPCO manual but specifically states that order in the picture. I would upload it here but I don't see how to add pictures.